State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim on Sunday said e-commerce at post offices would be introduced in December as part of modernization of the Bangladesh Post Office (BPO), reports BSS.
"We are going to offer e-commerce service at post offices in December on a pilot basis, and later it would be expanded in two phases," said the state minister while addressing a prize giving ceremony at Postal Auditorium at GPO here this morning.
The state minister said the e-commerce would be piloted at a post office in Tongi where online-based services, computer training, mobile wallet services would be available.
"We are working to turn the post offices into e-commerce hubs, but the process is being delayed a bit due to the involvement of several ministries," added Tarana.
About the post office bank, the state minister said the finance ministry wanted to know what type of banking would be operated as per the proposal of posts and telecommunications division.
"We are interested to run commercial bank and the proposal would be sent to the prime minister tomorrow," revealed Tarana.
Besides, about the 118 vehicles of BPO for courier service, she said 19 vehicles would be on road in January while the remaining would be put into service in April. "We've failed to bring the courier vehicles in operation on time for timely fund disbursement due to some bureaucratic process," pointed out the minister.
She, however, expressed her determination to make the BPO profitable before the end of present Awami League government tenure.
Mentioning the fulfillment of revenue goal this year set by the BPO, Tarana said: "Post offices would be profitable before the next national poll."
To this end, the state minister asked the BPO officials to change their mindset. "BPO officials have to work like other private operators so people are interested to take service from post offices," she added.
Later, Tarana Halim talking to media people said they have directed the cyber cafe, owners to set CCTV camera at their café.
"We've given the directives so nobody could do any subversive activities using cyber cafe," she said.
The state minister warned if anybody doesn't follow the directive, license of the cyber cafe, must be cancelled.
Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion with BPO Director General Prabash Chandra Saha in the chair.
Faizur Rahman said the heritage of BPO would be upheld if it is on the track of competition.
He also cautioned that no BPO official would be spared if their guilt is found during duty. [Read More]

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Source: The Financial Express